


Don't Leave

by ZhenLe



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-03-06
Updated: 2014-03-06
Packaged: 2018-01-14 18:38:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,592
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1276714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ZhenLe/pseuds/ZhenLe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Haru’s the most honest with Makoto about his feelings when its past midnight and he’s still groggy and half asleep. Makoto sees a side of Haru he’s never seen before.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Leave

**Author's Note:**

  * For [snowyseas](https://archiveofourown.org/users/snowyseas/gifts).



> Well this was for Qistina (harunou) for her birthday last year in December and yeahhhhh for reasons I'm only posting this on here today whoops

It’s midnight. Natural light has ceased to exist. It’s cold and dark and silent. Unbeknown to anyone, night creatures flitter here and there. The streets are empty, barely lit with dim lampposts. It’s midnight.

Yet under no circumstances is this scary. How can it be, when you’re in bed? When you’re dreaming and no dark thoughts can cloud your mind? How can it be, when you’re all bundled up and safe? _How can it be, when you’re sleeping in the warmth of your best friend?_

 

* * *

 

It was the third and final year of high school for Haruka and Makoto, and even that was coming to a close. Their years of education would finally come to an end. The ‘future’ was now looming ahead of them.

School had been a hectic affair for the past few months – exams, assignments, universities were constantly on the minds of both students and their teachers. Levels of stress rose and rose, never seeming to drop or even take a little dip. The lively and cheery high school spirit had been diminished despite individual efforts.

Haru had never hated any school year as much as he did this one. The reason lay with Makoto.

Since the start of the second half of the year, Makoto had been a lot more sober. The smile that used to light up his face freely was now a strain. His eyes lost their shine. He laughed a lot less. And worst of all, the time he spent with Haru was slowly but surely reduced. Haru just couldn’t take that.

That was why tonight was so important for Haru.

 

~

 

It was Friday, thankfully. Haru had invited Makoto over for dinner and then a sleepover which was rather unusual coming from him. It was usually Makoto doing the inviting. Nonetheless the invitation was accepted and Makoto arrived right before dinner time that night.

Dinner was soon put aside, and the boys found themselves on the couch in the living room.

“What do you want to do, Haru?” Makoto looked to his friend.

“Lay off the ch – Hmpf.”

Haru turned to the side after realising his embarrassing mistake, his cheeks turning warm and red. A soft chuckle escaped Makoto’s lips, one that triggered an irregular heartbeat in Haru’s chest.

“So, what should we do?”

“Don’t know.”

“Ah Haru, we can’t just sit here and do nothing you know?”

“Why not?”

“Because – uh, well you know…”

Makoto scratched his cheek as Haru turned to him with curious eyes, “I-I never get to spend a lot of time w-with Haru anymore…”

Azure widened when he saw his best friend’s downcast look.

“I want, I want to make the best of the time we have together” he whispered.

 

~

 

They ended up watching a movie, snuggled together on the couch. Haru never really cared much for movies, but this one caught his attention. And it wasn’t even about water. The summary read:

“Having made several close friends during his high school years, Kaito is devastated to part ways as he is forced to leave for university overseas. He cannot stop thinking about his high school life; he is on the brink of giving up. But what lies in wait for him? Can he restart his life again with the help of strangers?”

 _What sort of movies do people even watch?_ Haru grumbled to himself initially when that was the only one available for rent that night. Once it was in the CD player however, the whole story had enveloped Haru easily. The protagonist made him think of Makoto, and that was why.

Midway through the movie, Haru couldn’t take it anymore. He couldn’t stand the thought of Makoto leaving him. He couldn’t have Makoto making new friends and forgetting about him. He didn’t want to be alone again.

“Makoto. Are you going overseas to study?”

“Hmm? Ah well, I was meaning to tell you soon. I got an offer from Tokyo University yesterday.”

Haru’s world crashed. Just like that. It was like a bomb had dropped onto him. Everything was blank. The pain in his chest was heavy. His breath hitched.

He knew that Tokyo was still in Japan. But he couldn’t take the thought of Makoto leaving. Slapping all thoughts away, he fought to remain composure. _I have to feel happy for Makoto._

“So, are you taking up the offer?

“I’m not sure, what do you think Haru?”

_Don’t go. Don’t go. Don’t go._

“Go with your gut.”

“Go with my gut?”

“Not everyone gets accepted you know? I think it’s good. I’m glad for you, Makoto.”

The warm laugh rang in Haru’s ears and filled his heart once more. How was he going to survive without Makoto?

“Thank you, Haru-chan. I’ll think about it.”

“Un.”

_Don’t leave me._

 

~

 

“Goodnight, Haru-chan.”

“Lay off the –chan.”

The warm laugh filled the cold air once again. Haru sighed.

“Goodnight.”

Haru felt Makoto tense up behind him after he had replied with a simple ‘goodnight’. Was returning the favour really that unusual? Haru sighed again as he leaned back into the broad chest.

It was just habit. Makoto always needed to hug something to sleep. In his own bed he would hug a huge killer whale plushie Haru had gotten him when they were still small children. At Haru’s place, he would always have to hug the smaller boy to sleep.

Haru never minded it though; instead he had grown so accustomed to it to the point of actually liking it. That was another thing he never told Makoto – he didn’t dislike physical contact with his best friend despite the cold silent aura he gave off. And he never had trouble sleeping when Makoto’s arms were wrapped around his waist, or when Makoto was around in general.

He was always safe with Makoto.

 

~

 

Haru stirred when he felt Makoto’s arm move a little. He didn’t realise that he had turned around in his sleep – his face was now pressed into Makoto’s chest. The sky outside was still dark, it wasn’t even close to dawn yet. The boys were still groggy, Haru more than Makoto at this time.

Gently lifting the blanket to cover Haru, Makoto stroked the raven hair before setting his arm back on the other’s waist. Haru was hardly aware of anything happening. His mind was much too clouded with sleep.

“Makoto…” he murmured against his collarbone.

“Yes, Haru?”

“Don’t leave me…”

“I won’t, Haru.”

“Don’t…don’t go anywhere…”

“I’m right here, it’s okay.”

“Don’t go…”

“I really won’t, Haru. Shh”

That wasn’t enough to satisfy Haru’s subconscious state of mind. He reached out to grab Makoto’s shirt and pressed himself closer.

“Stay with me, Makoto…Don’t go anywhere…Stay…P-please…” his voice was drowned to nothing but a whimper, his hands clutching tightly onto his life-support.

The brunet smiled into the soft black hair. He gave Haru a small squeeze before reaching down to take his hand.

“I’ll always be here for you, Haru. Always. I won’t leave, promise.”

Haru drifted right back into a deep sleep after that.

 

* * *

 

 

The very next morning, Haru refused to wake up upon Makoto’s requests. Being the soft lump of sentimentality he always was around Haru, Makoto had lain in bed holding the raven until noon.

“Haru, Haru you have to wake up now!”

“Idon’twantto”

“C’mon Haru, let’s go get something to eat.”

“Makotogoaway”

“I’ll take you to the pool if you’re good.”

“P-pool?”

Haru opened one of his eyes lazily to look up into Makoto’s cheery smile. That was enough to wake him fully, but he didn’t want to let go of the brunet just yet. Makoto was much too warm and comfortable. Just like home.

“Let’s go, Haru-chan.”

 

~

 

It had taken many more rounds of pestering and coaxing before Haru got out of bed. He had no recollection whatsoever of the conversation he had last night. Only Makoto remembered. And he remembered it well.

He laid the table and waited while Haru grilled mackerel for the two of them.

“Ne, Makoto.”

“Yes, Haru?”

“A-are you – uhm, are you going to take up that offer?”

Makoto chuckled to himself, _so he really doesn’t remember what happened last night, huh?_

“Do you want me to go to Tokyo, Haru?”

_No. Don’t go anywhere._

“If you’re happy…I guess I don’t mind wherever you go…”

“I’m happy here.”

Makoto moved to stand behind Haru. Arms moved to wrap around the blue-eyed swimmer.

“I’m happy with Haru. I’m always happy with you.”

“M-Makoto?”

Turning his head around swiftly, Haru’s eyes met the forest green ones and he saw something he hadn’t seen for so long. The light had returned to Makoto’s eyes. They shone with happiness, comfort, love. To Haru, they were the most beautiful pair of eyes he had ever seen.

“I want to stay with you. I want to stay here in Iwatobi. I never want to leave Haru. Never.”

Then, it was Makoto’s turn to see just how bright Haru’s oceanic eyes could be. The light spread like wildfire, the blue orbs glistened and shimmered like the sun’s reflection on the ocean’s surface. Makoto loved those eyes.

“Then, don’t ever leave.”

“I won’t. I’ll stay with Haru forever.”

 

* * *

 

Extra~

The boys graduated with absolutely no trouble at all. Makoto was easily accepted into a local university where he pursued a medical course. Haru enrolled in an art course and taught younger children swimming as a part-time job (in which he spent more time floating around in the pool). Not once did the pair part ways. They never left each other. Never.


End file.
